Manure-fork



illlr'lmw. ...Pirin- 02., ,221; ATTORNEYS- Patented Aug. l, 1882.

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MANURB FORK.Y

y H. ALBERS.

l No. 261,894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ALEEEs, 0E NEW BREMEN, OHIO.

MANURE-FORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 261,894, dated August 1., 1882,

Application led June 10, 1882. (No model.)

To all 'whom tt may concern Be it known that I, HENRY ALBERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Bremen, in the county of Auglaize and State ot' Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ManureForks, of which the following is a specification, referenceoein g had therein to the accompanying drawings. 4

This invention has relation to improvements in forks for handling manure, 85e.; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the same, whereby afork may be converted into a rake, all as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The annexed drawings, to which refcrence is made, fully illustrate my invention, in which- Figure l represents a plan view of my dcvice, showing the same as a fork. Fig. 2 is a side view of saine in a similar position. Fig. 3 is also a side View, representing the invention as a rake. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional view, and Fig. 5 is aside view of t-he push-pin or locking and unlockingdevice det-ached from the fork. i

The letter Adesignates the fork or tines, and B the handle.

O indicates a ferrnle attached securely to the handle, andprovided on its end with a vertical slot, b, in which is pivoted a semicircular plate, E, ata. Said plate projects from the 'rear of the fork, and has notches'c c cut in the periphery thereof, for a purpose hereinafter' set forth. The ferrule C is also provided with lateral holes d d', the former communicating with the vertical slot b and the latter with a recess, e, in which is placed a spring,f, that operates a push-pin for lookin g the forkin each position.

D represents the push-pin, which is composed of a short arm, t', that plays freely in the hole d, and a long arm, i', that plays in a hole, df, on the end of which (the arm t) is a thumb-knob, g, that plays in the recess e, and a bar, h, extends from one arm to the other, which connects the two to one another.

Encircling the arm t', and within the recess e, is a springf, oneend of which bears against the shoulder e and the opposite end against the inner end of the thumbknob g.

Having described the differentparts of which my device is composed, I will now explain the operation of the parts.

Figs. l, 2, and 4 represent the device as a fork for handling manure, hay, &c., with the arm t of the push-pin D engaging the notch c on the plate E, thereby securing the fork in a horizontal position. At the saine time the spring f bears against the shoulder e and the thumb-knob g, which keep the push-pin D in engagement therewith.

In changing the position ofthe fork for raking purposes, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the pressure upon the thumb-knob by the operator causes the arm t' to disengage with the notch c, after which the fork is turned upon its pivot a downwardly until the notch c engages the arm t', when the latter is sprung therein by the action of the springf, and rel tained by the pressure of said spring against the thumb-knob g.

It will thus be seen bythe foregoing description that I construct a fork that can be converted into arake,which is simple inconstruction and operation. l

I ain aware that prior to my invention pivoted forks have been used having a spring locking-pin and notched plate for adjusting and locking the fork in any desired position; but this I do not claim broadly; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a pivoted fork, the ferrule C, havingthe hole d, communicating with the vertical slot b, and the hole d', having the recess e to receive the push-pin D, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a pivoted fork having a semicircular plate provided with notches on the periphery, ofthe push-pin D, constructed as shown, having arms t' t', connected by the bar k and thumbknob g, and operated by the springf, as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the push-pin D, constructed as described, with the ferrule G, having holes d d', recess e, slot b,'springf, semicircular plate E, having notches c o', and pivoted fork A,thewhole operatingas shown and i specified.

I ln testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY ALBERS. Witnesses:

EDWARD ROEGNER, FEED. LAUT. 

